Indonesia has granted visa exemptions to two new countries. Since July 2025, citizens of Turkey and Brazil can visit the country without a visa. British and Irish travellers still need to apply for a visa if they wish to travel to Bali or any other Indonesian island.
Visa exception for Indonesia
Currently, only travellers from fifteen countries are eligible for a visa exemption to Indonesia. These are the nine ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Nationals of Hong Kong, East Timor, Suriname and Colombia can also travel to Indonesia without a visa for a stay of up to 30 days.
Since July 2025, travellers with Turkish and Brazilian passports can also travel visa-free to Indonesia. They can stay in the country without a visa for holidays, business trips or medical treatments. The 30-day validity period cannot be extended. During their stay in Indonesia, travellers cannot convert the visa exemption into a residence permit.
European travellers still need a visa
Travellers from European countries, including Great Britain and Ireland, must still apply for a visa if they want to visit Indonesia. In most cases, they can use the e-visa for Indonesia, which can be applied for online. There is no need to make an appointment at the embassy or consulate. To apply for a visa, travellers just need to fill in a digital application form and submit a ID photo, a scan or photo of their passport, and a return flight confirmation. This takes only a couple of minutes. After that, the visa is sent by email within an average of 7 days.
The e-visa for Indonesia can be used for tourist travel or to visit friends or family in Indonesia. The visa allows travellers to enter Indonesia once and stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Indonesia, and travellers must provide proof that they have booked a return ticket or a ticket to another destination.
The reasons behind the Indonesian government decision
According to the director of immigration services, Yuldi Yusman, the new visa exemption for Brazilian and Turkish travellers is based on different reasons. Firstly, Indonesian citizens can already travel visa-free to Brazil and Turkey. With the visa exemption, the Indonesian government hopes to strengthen diplomatic ties with both countries and improve its international relations.
The new visa exemption is part of a broader strategy by the Indonesian authorities to boost the country's tourism sector. The Indonesian authorities intend to make the tourism sector less dependent on Western tourists. For this, they must shift their focus to other target groups, such as travellers from Brazil and Turkey.
More visa exemptions on the horizon?
Indonesia announced plans to grant visa exemptions to more countries, such as the United States, India, Australia, China, and Japan, as well as other European countries, such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. It is not yet known whether these visa exemptions will actually be implemented and when. For the time being, all European travellers must apply for a visa for Indonesia to enter the country.